there may be mischief done to-morrow, it was necessary
I should know about these people, whose leaders are
wild and lawless and oppress their subjects with
injustice and cruelties. My task, therefore, is to
liberate the Skeezers and the Flatheads and secure for
them freedom and happiness. I have no doubt I can
accomplish this in time."

"Just now, though, we're in a bad fix," asserted
Dorothy. "If Queen Coo-ee-oh conquers to-morrow, she
won't be nice to us, and if the Su-dic conquers, he'll
be worse."

"Do not worry, dear," said Ozma, "I do not think we
are in danger, whatever happens, and the result of our
adventure is sure to be good."

Dorothy was not worrying, especially. She had
confidence in her friend, the fairy Princess of Oz, and
she enjoyed the excitement of the events in which she
was taking part. So she crept into bed and fell asleep
as easily as if she had been in her own cosy room in
Ozma's palace.

A sort of grating, grinding sound awakened her. The
whole island seemed to tremble and sway, as it might do
in an earthquake. Dorothy sat up in bed, rubbing her
eyes to get the sleep out of them, and then found it
was daybreak.